Draft and buffing mechanism for cars.



Patented 'Oct. 7, I902.

W. WRIGHT. DRAFT AND BUFFING MECHANISM FOR CARS.

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1902.)

5 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

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. Patented Oct. 7,, I902. W. WRIGHT.

DRAFT AND BUFFING MECHAMSM FOR CARS.

(Application filed In. 12, 1902.)

5 Shouts-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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Patented Oct. 7, I902. W. WRIGHT. DRAFT AND BUFFING MECHANISM FOR CARS.

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1902.)

5 Shoe ts-Sheat 3.

(No Model.)

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No. 710,929. Patented Oct. 7, I902 W. WRIGHT.

DRAFT AND BUFFING MECHANISM FOR CARS.

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1902.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

WITNESSES: INV

ENT R Patented Oct. 7, I902.

W'. WRIGHT. DRAFT AND BUFFING MECHANISM FOR CARS.

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1902.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

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UNTTsn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM WVRIGII'I, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE lvICOONW'AY & TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT AND BUFFING'MECHANISM FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0.710329, dated October '7, 1.902.

Application filed March 12, 190-2. Serial No. 97,838. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM \VRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Draft and Buffing Mechanism for Cars, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in car draft and buffing mechanism, and has for its object a construction whereby such draft and buffing mechanism can be maintained in a position at right angles to the truck-bolster and in line with the center of the track on which the truck moves, at the same time permitting of a eonsiderable'lateral play of the car-body without affecting such draft and buffing mechanism.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of the draft and buffing mechanism and truck, the car-body being removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, portions of the truck being removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on a plane indicated by the line III III, Fig. 1. Fig. eis an end elevation of a carbody and coupler, showing the supporting mechanism for the latter. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modification of the invention and showing only a portion of the draft and buffing mechanism and its connections. Fig. (5 is a sectional plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the coupler-head and a portion of its stem. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing the cushioning mechanism for attaching one of the coupler connections to the truck. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of one of the pivotal and cushioning bearings for the holding mechan ism. Fig. 9 is a plan view, the coupler-head being omitted, illustrating a further modification of my improvement; and Fig. 10 is a sectional detail view on a plane indicated by the line X X, Fig. 9.

In the practice of my invention a supporting-plate 1 has its rear end connected to the truck, preferably by the king-bolt 2, whereby the car is connected to the truck-bolster 3. The forward end of this plate 1 is supported upon a curved bar 4, which is secured to the car-frame. An additional supporting-plate 5 for the coupler-head is yieldingly supported by the car-body, preferably by means of bolts 6, secured to the front sill of the carer other suitable portion and passing through holes in the ends of the supporting-plate 5, which is supported by means of springs '7, surrounding the bolts. This yielding support 5 for the coupler permits a vertical movement of con pier-heads between adjoining cars without any undue strain of the draft or buffing mechanism on either. A frame or socket 8 is secured to the under side of the supportingplate 1 for the reception of the springs 9, follower-plates 10, and strap 11, connected to the stem of the coupler and extending around such draft and buffing springs.

On account of the shocks and strains to which draft and coupling mechanisms are subjected it is undesirable to connect the plate 1 and parts carried thereby rigidly to the truck. Hence cushioning connections or connections having a certain flexibility are interposed between the truck and plate, and it is preferred that such connections should be attached to the plate near its outer end. As the are through which the coupler will move as the car passes around a curve is longer than the arc traversed by the points at which the plate connections are attached to the truck, such connections are made to act differentiallyi. e., to cause the plate to move through a longer are than the truck, and thereby maintain the coupler-head in a line at right angles to the axles of the Wheels. A desirable construction of such connections consists of chains 12, having one end connected to eyes formed on opposite edges of the plate 1, While their opposite ends pass partially around and are connected to pulleys 13. Pulleys 14, of less diameter than the-pulleys l3 and formed on or secured to the latter, have one end of chains 15 connected thereto, said chains passing partially around the pulleys 14 and having their opposite ends connected to rods 16, passing through sleeves 17 and having bearings thereon through the medium of springs 18, arranged Within the sleeves; against the end wall or abutment of the sleeves, while the opposite ends bear against shoulders orabutments on the rods 16; These sleeves are provided with vertically-arranged trunnions 19, mounted in suitable bearings formed in castings 20, which are secured to the truck-frame. In practice the abutments on the rods 1'7, which are preferably formed by washers and nuts, are screwed up so as to place the springs 18 under a high tension, in fact nearly closing the springs, so that the slightest possible movement will be allowed to the draft and buliing mechanism, yet permitting the springs to serve as cushions and prevent the breaking of any of the chains or parts connected thereto by strains incident to the movement of cars along tracks. The pulleys 13 and l4,which are preferably formed integral with each other, as shown, are loosely mounted upon pins 21, secured in brackets 22, bolted to the framing of the car-body at points adjacent to the outer sides of the car.

The springs 18 are not designed to permit a.

laterally-swinging movement of the draft and buffing mechanism, but serve merely as cushions to prevent injury, as above stated. By this construction the draft and buffing mechanism will be always held with practical ri gidity in a position at right angles to the truck and directly in a vertical plane passing midway between the rails of the track, so that the coupler on one car can be readily connected to a similar coupler on another car, regardless of the condition of the portion of the track-i. (2., whether straight or curvedon which the couplingis effected,as both couplers will be held in mid-position, as stated. As the coup1er-heads on both cars will be practically in a vertical plane passing through the king-bolts of the adjacent ends of the car, the coupler-heads will not meet at an angle, so that the blow of one coupler on the other will not forceeither coupler-head laterally out of coupling positlon.

In lieu of the differential pulleys l3 and 14 bell-crank levers 23, having different lengths of arms, may be employed to transmit motion from the truck to the draft mechanism, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, said levers being pivotally mounted in the brackets 22, secured to the car-frame and operating in substantially the same manner as the pulleys l3 and 14. As the coupler-heads are usually at a greater distance from thecenter of movement or king-bolt of the truck than the points of connection of the chains with the bolster, it follows that the coupler-head should have a greater movement than the points of attachment of the chains to the bolster when the truck passes around a curve, and this is efiected by the employment of the differential pulleys or bell-cranks.

One end of these springs bears,

construction will permit a slight turning or yielding of the coupler-heads when connecting on curves or the train is passing around curves, but will always hold the coupler-head in proper alineinent with the stem when the head is free to move.

As the device for shifting the coupler-lock is mounted on the car-body and the couplerhead moves with the truck, sufficient'slack must be provided in the connection between the unlocking device on the car-body and the coupler-head to permit of the independent movements of the car-body and coupler-head without afiecting the locking of the coupler. In the construction shown a chain 27 is employed for connecting the coupler-lock and the rotatable shaft 28 on the car.

It is characteristic of my improvement that the coupler and the draft and buffing meclr anism are held with practical rigidity in a position at right angles to the truck-frame and the axles of the wheels. If it were not for the injurious strains to which such mechanism would be subjected during the travel of a car, the coupler and draft and buffing mechanism could be rigidly secured to the truck at right angles to the axles of the wheels. Subject to this disadvantage such a rigid connection may be employedthat is, the cushioning-springs 18 may be omitted-and such a construction will be within the scope of the present invention, and one suitable form of such construction is illustrated in Fig. 9. As therein shown, the chains 15 are connected to rods 16, which pass through bearing-abutments 17, which are provided with trunnions 19, mounted in suitable bearings formed in castings 20, secured, as hereinafter stated, to the truck-frame. The nuts on the ends of the rods 16 bearfirmly against the abutment 17 and are screwed up, so as to place the chains 15 and 12, rigidly connecting the abutments, with the plate 1, so that there will not be any independent movement whatsoever of the coupler mechanism and truck. As before stated, this construction embodies my improvement, but is not as desirable practically as that shown in Figs. 1 and 5 on account of the absence of any cushioning to relieve the strain on the chain due to the movement of the cars along the track.

I claim herein as my invention 1. The combination of a car-truck adapted to have a pivotal connection to a car-body, coupling and draft and buffing mechanisms, means for securing said mechanisms with practical rigidity to the truck in a position at IIO right angles to the axles of the wheels, and means adapted to be secured to the car-body for supporting the coupling, draft and buffing mechanisms with a freedom of lateral movement, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a car-truck adapted to have a pivotal connection to a car-body, coupling mechanism, means for securing such mechanism with practical rigidity to the truck in a position at right angles to the axles of the Wheels, and means adapted to be secured to the car-body for supporting the coupling, draft and buffing mechanisms with a freedom of lateral movement, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a car-truck, a plate pivotally connected at one end to the truck, coupling mechanism carried by the plate, and connections from the plate to the truck whereby the plate and parts carried thereby are held with practical rigidity in a position at right angles to the axles of the wheels, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a car-truck, a plate having one end pivotally connected to the truck, coupling mechanism carried by the plate, and differential connections from the plate to truck, whereby the plate and the parts carried thereby are held with practical rigidity in a position at right angles to the axles of the wheels, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a car-truck, a plate having one end pivotally connected to the truck, coupling, draft and buffing mechanism carried by the plate, a supporting-bar for the coupling, draft and buffing mechanism secured to the body of the car, and connections from the plate to the truck, whereby the plate and parts carried thereby are held with practical rigidity in a position at right angles to the axles of the wheels,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a car-truck, a plate connected to the truck, coupling mechanism carried by the plate, connections from the plate to the truck, and shock-absorbin g cushplate,

ions interposed in such connections whereby the plate is held with practical rigidity in a position at right angles to the axles of the wheels, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a truck, a plate connected to the truck, a coupler-stem carried by the plate, a coupler-head pivotally connected to the stem, and connections from the plate to the truck whereby the plate is held with practical rigidity in a position at right angles to the axles of the wheels, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a truck, a plate pivotally connected to the truck, coupling mechanism carried by the plate, dilferential pulleys arranged on opposite sides of the plate, chains connecting one pulley on each side to the plate and chains connecting the other pulley on each side to the truck, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of a car-truck, a plate pivotally connected to the truck, coupling mechanism carried by the plate, a pair of differential pulleys arranged on each side of the chains connecting one member of each pair to the plate, cushioning mechanisms secured to the truck and chains connecting the other member of the differential pulleys to the cushioning mechanisms, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of a car-truck, a coupling mechanism, a cushioning as distinguished from a yielding spring arranged on each side of the coupling mechanism and suitable intermediate connections whereby the coupling mechanism shall be maintained with its line of draft substantially at right angles to the wheels of the same car in all normal conditions of use.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM \V RIGHT.

Witnesses:

DARWIN S. WoLcoTT, F. E. GAITHER. 

